Wooster council mulls moratorium on pot permits

At its Dec. 18 meeting, Wooster City Council renominated Greg Long to serve on the Wooster Community Hospital Board of Governors. The board of governors is a seven-person board of five community members, current Wooster Mayor Bob Reynolds and William Sheron, the hospital chief executive officer.

The meeting also was the last for Mayor Bob Breneman, who has served the Wooster area in a public service capacity for the last 30 years. Ohio State Rep. Scott Wiggam presented a commendation to Breneman to honor his service to the City of Wooster. Wayne County commissioners Sue Smail, Ron Amstutz and Jonathan Hofstetter also presented Breneman with a proclamation and a flag.

Breneman announced two city employees also would retire at the end of the year: Debbie Varns from the IT department and Nathan Murphy, assistant fire chief. He also said recreation manager Ashley Hershberger and former city employee Andrew Guidetti will receive awards from the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce at its annual meeting in February. Rounding out the personnel matter, Bryon Taylor has been hired as the new WARCOG director.

Director of Administration Joel Montgomery introduced new Deputy Director of Administration Phil Turske. He also said the Ohio Public Works Commission awarded the city a grant to cover some of the repairs for the anaerobic digesters. Council will have legislation to accept the grant funds at its meeting in January.

Newly elected Mayor Reynolds proposed for first reading a resolution imposing a moratorium on the granting or processing of permits for any building, structure, or use or change of use that would enable cultivation, processing or retail sale of marijuana within the city of Wooster.

Reynolds said he would leave this legislation on first reading to give the new council members an opportunity to consider it and to give the public an opportunity to comment. Montgomery said the city wants to wait until the state legislature has time to put a legal structure in place, but the rule-making process may take several months.

Council member Barb Knapic voiced concerns about smoking in public areas and how it would affect bystanders. City Law Director John Scavelli noted the current law is not a constitutional amendment, so the state legislature can amend it however they see fit.